


Blame Eric Clapton

by Katyakora



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-30
Updated: 2016-05-30
Packaged: 2018-07-11 03:08:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7025032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katyakora/pseuds/Katyakora
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry finds happiness and a new appreciation for the music of Earth-1.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blame Eric Clapton

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by and featuring Eric Clapton's 'Change the World'.
> 
> This song came on the radio and I started thinking it would really suit Jesse L. Martin's singing voice. And then I thought about Harry hearing Joe sing this song and it spiralled from there.

Harrison found himself smiling as he pulled up to the West family home. Of all the things he’d thought to find on this Earth, happiness hadn't been one of them. He never thought he’d be getting invited to Sunday BBQs and actually looking forward to an afternoon of good food and idle conversation with people he had come to consider friends. Even if it did feel like he was parenting most of them.

 

Wally, washing his car in the front yard, waved as Harrison got out of the STARlabs van.

 

“Need a hand with that?” he called, gesturing to the grocery bags Harrison was grabbing out of the back.

 

“No thanks, I got it.” He was early today, since Cisco had had the bright idea of a competition between Earth-1 and 2 cuisine. Jesse was currently at Iris’ apartment, elbow deep in flour and sugar as she was charged with dessert duty. Harry had gathered the closest ingredients he could get to make Atlantean pie and Joe had graciously offered to share his kitchen.

 

As he made his way up the path, Harry noticed the front door was ajar, and music was drifting out of it. It wasn't like most of the music Harry had heard on this earth, although he had mostly only been exposed to Cisco’s work playlists, so he could hardly say he was an expert. The music coming from the West house was light and sweet, dominated by tender notes from a guitar.

 

“ _If I could reach the stars...pull one down for you...”_

 

Harrison stopped in his tracks, blinking in surprise at the voice clearly ringing out over the recorded tones.

 

“Is that…?” He turned to Wally confirmation, who nodded with an amused smirk.

 

“I don’t think he realises how loud he is,” the young man added with a shrug.

 

 _“_ _That this love I have inside...is everything it seems..._ _”_

 

Feeling oddly hesitant, Harrison headed inside towards the music’s source. The song really was quite pleasant, much better than any other music he’d heard on Earth-1, closer to the popular music of his own world. The house smelled of cooking meat and various herbs and spices, combining with the soothing music to create a sense of home that hit Harry harder than he would ever admit. He rounded the corner to the kitchen and couldn’t have stopped himself from staring if he tried.

 

“ _I would be the sunlight in your universe...You would think my love was really something good…”_

 

Joe stood at the stove, stirring a gigantic pot and swaying as he sang along to the stereo. He was dressed simply in a dark blue henley and jeans, but there was something about the moment that had Harrison feeling like he was seeing a side of Joe he’d never seen before. Maybe it was the smooth tenor curling in Harrison’s ears like smoke, maybe it was just how relaxed and at ease Joe seemed, but it was as though someone had suddenly turned on the lights and all he could see was Joe. The breadth of his strong shoulders, the way his henley pulled tight over frankly impressive biceps that Harrison couldn’t believe he’d never noticed before.

 

_“Baby if I could...change the world…”_

 

He really shouldn’t have been so surprised Joe was an excellent singer. He’d actually heard of the man on Earth-2, as the headliner at Jitterbugs he’d been practically legendary. It was easy to forget that the Joe he’d come to know could have easily ended up living that life under different circumstances. Harry was so used to the snarky, protective cop, he hadn’t contemplated that the talented artist might be hiding underneath. Yet here he was, demonstrating just why Joseph West had made Jitterbugs _the_ place to be in Central City. It was a privilege, really, to get to see this, one of which Harrison wasn’t entirely sure he had the right to, of which he was about to be reminded.

 

“ _If I could be king…”_ Joe sang, sliding to the other end of the bench and doing a little spin. He startled abruptly and did a double-take when he finally noticed he had an audience. The look of mortification on his face strongly reminded Harrison of a flustered Barry, and he couldn’t keep his gobsmacked expression from turning into one of fond amusement.

 

“You saw nothing,” Joe stated sternly, brandishing his wooden spoon.

 

“I saw enough,” Harrison countered gleefully. “And I’m pretty sure most of your neighbours heard.”

 

“Was I really that loud?” Joe asked with a wince as Harry finally relieved his aching arms of their burden.

 

“Don’t worry, I’m sure they appreciated the impromptu concert. I certainly did.” Harry didn’t look up as he busied himself emptying the bags, missing the honest surprise that flashed across the other man’s face. “It’s nice to know this Earth actually has some halfway decent music. Now if only someone would introduce Ramon to it.” Harry finally looked up as Joe chuckled, once again stirring his pot.

 

“This here is Eric Clapton. Probably a little too old school for Cisco. Is that crap he listens to really the only Earth-1 music you’ve heard?”

 

“Pretty much,” Harry said with a shrug as he got to work chopping vegetables.

 

“Harry, my friend, I think it’s time you got a real education.”

 

“Because all my doctorates are just wallpaper.”

 

“In music, smart ass.”

 

Harry glanced up from what he was doing, taking in the fond exasperation on Joe’s face as they bantered. Their eyes met for a charged moment and Harry felt a sudden tension in his gut. He cleared his throat and looked back down, suddenly feeling like an awkward teenager again.

 

“Well, apparently I like it old school, so I’m sure you’re more than qualified.”

 

“Hey, if you were born on this earth, it’d be the music of your glory days.”

 

“I think I’ve got a few more glory days left in me.” Harrison couldn’t keep the contented smile off his face as they bantered and cooked together, Joe providing short commentary for every song that came on. After a few more songs had played, Joe apparently found the courage to start singing along again, although not near as loudly. Harry encouraged it as much as he could, humming along himself and just basking in the other man’s presence, in the privilege of his song. Later, when Joe asked who his favourite had been so far, Harry had to bite his lip to keep from blurting out ‘you’.

* * *

_One year later_

 

Harry blinked his eyes tiredly, adding a couple of symbols to his calculation. Idly, he realised he was humming under his breath, a familiar song that never failed to make him smile.

 

“If I could change the world…” he sang softly as he contemplated the equation.

 

 _“I would be the sunlight in your universe…_ ” Was crooned into his ear as a pair of arms slipped around his waist and a warm, solid presence pressed into his back. “ _You would think my love was really something good...Baby if I could…”_

 

“...change the world,” Harry finished the line, wanting to cringe at how terrible he sounded compared to Joe. “You’re corny as hell, you know that?” he griped good-naturedly as he let his head fall back to rest on Joe’s shoulder.

 

“Maybe, but according to you, it was that song that made you fall in love with me. So really, you only have yourself to blame.”

 

Chuckling, Harrison twisted in Joe’s arms to steal a kiss.

  
“I blame Eric Clapton.”

**Author's Note:**

> Been lowkey shipping the Jarrison for a while.  
> Guess it's not so lowkey anymore.  
> They're already co-parenting six adult geniuses, might as well be married too.


End file.
